**Russia Claims to Down 36 Ukrainian Drones, Local Authorities Say Oil Refinery Targeted**
On February 8, Russian local authorities claimed that an oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast was among the targets of a Ukrainian overnight drone strike. However, Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 36 Ukrainian drones were shot down by air defense.
The drones were reportedly targeted at various locations across Russia, including Rostov Oblast, Volgograd Oblast, Belgorod Oblast, and Krasnodar Krai. Volgograd Oblast Governor Andrei Bocharov said on Telegram that the air defense had intercepted a Ukrainian drone strike on an oil refinery in the Kumylzhenskaya District.
Fortunately, no fire erupted from the falling debris, and no casualties or damage were reported.
**Ukraine Strikes Deep into Russia**
Despite being on the back foot on the front line, Ukrainian troops have begun to actively strike deep into Russia using their homemade drones. These strikes often target military sites, oil refineries, and air fields.
Over the past day, Russian forces suffered 1,210 casualties, according to reports.
**US President Donald Trump’s Statements**
US President Donald Trump accused a US agency of widespread corruption and fraud on Truth Social, calling for it to be shut down. He also stated that he would like to see the war between Ukraine and Russia end.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine stressed in an interview with Reuters that Ukraine was not offering to “give away” its resources but seeking a mutually beneficial partnership.
**Other Developments**
* Russia’s Justice Ministry declared the Register of Damage Caused by Russian Aggression against Ukraine an “undesirable organization”.
* A draft law approved by the Russian government lays out the procedure for seizing foreign property in retaliation for freezing Russian assets abroad.
* Urgent funding has been identified for recovery efforts, energy resilience, and cyber defense projects in Ukraine.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
